Norwich Seventh-day Adventist Church

Historically, youth have often played a strategic role in bringing about change. Communism, pre-war Germany, and the ANC youth league are just some that would confirm the role of youth in preparing for change.

 Two significant New Year messages have again drawn our attention to youth.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has made a plea for more acceptance of the youth and he feels that it is the constant rejection of the youth that leads to them feeling that they have no place in society. This is then reflected in symptomatic behaviour like we saw with the 2011 London riots. It’s interesting though that he finds himself amongst a group of young people busy packing supplies for the needy – not really, I would say, a sample of the youth involved in the London riots. These young people, who find pleasure in being involved with doing good, are surely not the ones that Dr. Williams would be referring to as ‘youth that need to find more acceptance’ by society. Or are they?

Pope Benedict, in his New Year message ‘Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God’ coinciding with the celebration of this 45th World Day of Peace, also concentrated on the youth and their role in bringing about peace. He goes a step further than the Archbishop of Canterbury and is not afraid to include the family unit, the early influences in a child’s life and the educational institutions as all being responsible to teach peace and tolerance.

In fact from the same source (News.VA) we can read of a very structured way of instilling an ethos of peace and tolerance. So is the Italian lay community, so to say, putting their money where their mouth is? In an article; ‘Rondine: Young People, the peace-builders of tomorrow’ we see that in the Tuscany village of Rondine something pragmatic is happening. Young people from all over the world are coming together and while studying at one of the Italian institutions they are getting to know each other better. Here Palastinians, Israelis, and Arabs; Bosnians, Serbs and Croats as well as Africans Indians and Pakistanis are sharing meals together, living in community and overcoming their mutual mistrust in each other. Hopefully they can return, after completing their studies, and make a difference in their countries regarding greater understanding and tolerance of those previously perceived as enemies.

I can’t help but turn to a more ancient source than the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope, even though I would hope to think that they tap their principles from the same source.

Here it is: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. 6:4-7.

 Can it be that the biblical principle taught here is the answer? Does it really, as it would seem to me, start with the parents? And if so, parents, would you think twice before buying your child (and your self) the next video or TV game that enforces hatred, division, violence and crime? Could it be that parents and even grand parents were more responsible for the London riots than what they would like to acknowledge? Are the Archbishop and the Pope onto something here in their New Year messages, or is it already too late?